VANCOUVER – A familiar landmark along the Alaska Highway was destroyed by a fire over the weekend, after someone shot a flare at a family's Halloween decorations.
The massive, well-known lumberjack statue stood outside the former Clarke Sawmill near Mile 62. But on Monday, Debbie Lee Clarke posted on Facebook that the statue had gone up in flames.
According to Clarke, someone shot a flare at their Halloween decorations shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday. The family heard shots and a witness saw a flare, her post said.
"He was a big landmark that not only advertised our sawmill when it was up and running but was also a place to sit and wait for the school bus, something to look forward to seeing after a very long trip and basically the best thing ever to tell people about and a huge piece of my life," she wrote.
"The big man made giving directions very easy. RIP big man."
On Tuesday, an online fundraiser was launched, stating it was raising money to replace the statue. The post said a community fundraising barbecue is also in the works to raise money.
